In an op-ed titled “‘Fail First’ is a Failure Always” recently published in the Talbot Spy, Ali Asghar Kassamali, a senior majoring in natural sciences, argues for compassion in healthcare and protections for patients from preventable harm. In the piece, Kassamali examines the harmful effects of step therapy, a practice in which insurance companies force patients to try less expensive and less effective medications before accessing the treatments their doctors recommend. This approach, he says, delays care and can lead to worsened health outcomes, including hospitalizations. Kassamali argues that standardized protections against this practice, particularly through the pending Safe Step Act, are urgently needed to ensure timely access to effective treatments. By allowing physicians to prioritize patient care over bureaucratic hurdles, the act aims to improve health outcomes, reduce unnecessary suffering, and ultimately lower healthcare costs.
Kassamali crafted the op-ed in response to an assignment in Len Foxwell’s course Professional Writing and Ethics. Read the full article here.